But totally worn out.
Sales of flour at the mill are skyrocketing- at least 15 times more than usual. For every one order two weeks ago I now have fifteen . And yes – we were in no way prepared for hundreds of orders a day. People are so afraid that their panic buying has extended to organic flours. Or maybe there is no flour in the supermarkets- I have not been near a store in weeks.
We have piles of wheat of course so there is no need to panic – I can send flour out endlessly for years – we grow it after all maybe people are afraid that deliveries will cease. I am working seven days a week twelve hours a day and still not keeping up. I have re- configured my systems and brought in two college girls to keep up with demand and I am not keeping up. But we are getting a lot of flour out onto the UPS truck every day.
I try to tell people that my supply chain is the field down the road / there is no need to panic about our flour. But every day more and more orders roll in. 
So this is why I am so quiet on the airwaves – I am a bit worn out.
Today I came home early so I could sit on the couch and send you a letter.
It is now that I realize the great safety in growing our own food. We have meat from our fields, eggs from our chickens, we grow wheat in the fields and already John has greens in the glasshouse. I sell all the duck eggs cheap to a restaurant who is making take-out pasta.
The pig food vegetables have dried up. No restaurant veges anymore. But they have plenty of sprouts and I am not fattening any hogs at the moment. Just the five pets. Sheila and Poppy. Tima and Tane. And Wai Wai.
The cows are good. Mr Flowers is Ok. The chickens are not laying too many yet but John collects 33 duck eggs a day – lucky I found a market!
I am going to work another half day tomorrow and get everything ready for another week of orders. The irony is I have no time to bake!
Well, I hope you are doing ok. There is so much to unpack but we are all too weary. Stay home and stay safe. Things have changed now, there us no point in complaining about it. I cannot get to my children and that makes me feel very anxious. But I need to get strong about creating a new normal within the parameters of our health crisis. Soldier on.
Love to you all!!
Tell me how you are doing. We all want to know how you are doing in all this.
Love love
Celi
If we take every challenge one thing at a time it is better. As a whole this is very frightening. But one thing at a time we will get through it.
The Kitchen's Garden 
63 responses to “I am here”
So glad you are safe and busy! I think of you often!! 💚
Glad to hear you’re okay and things are going along well on the farmy. Interesting that your flour sales have boomed. My spouse was amazed at how empty the huge Walmart was when he went to shop, took photos to show me – it looked like a store that was out-of-business with all the empyt shelves. Hopefully they have managed to restock by the time we need to get things we’re running low on.
Staying home is our normal so that isn’t a problem, don’t have anywhere to go other than getting groceries anyway and usually we get two weeks worth at a time. We’re not afraid or reacting to the panic of others. It was busy earlier this week with the police and fire personnel (we live on a fairly busy street), but things have quieted down the last couple days.
Do try and rest, take care of yourself and enjoy some quiet time.
I’m so glad to read words from The Farmy, even though they tell us you are exhausted. Please remember to pace yourself. Just wanted to twll of heading down the drive to take my neighbor across the way a bag of daily newspapers. She doesn’t subscribe but loves the crosswords & the funnies which I am happy to pass on to her. When I heard & saw a neighbor 2 doors down the hill out on his porch serenading the empty street with his accordion. His wife & their little dog were swinging & swayingin time to the music. I went across to admire their tulips & swing & sway myself. Soon four young people strolling down the hill stopped in the street & then a young family with a buggy & a little girl stopped too & we all were swinging & swaying, 10 or more feet apart. We clapped heartily after each of the several tunes he played for us, Italian folk melodies & the Russian, Dark Eyes. It was a beautiful early spring afternoon, sunshine, flowers & warm camaraderie. And we were grateful to the Italian spirit which inspired that bit of joyful human contact in these dire times. Best thoughts to all here in this circle & to all at the Farmy & The Mill.
What a wonderful experience! Thank you for sharing it! I’m thinking that this global experience will bring us all closer together and increase the love, caring and compassion in the world. At least I hope so. xoxox
I so agree and SO hope you are right!
Me too! (I already feel it.)
Happy to hear from you 🙂 Panic buying has become common. I’m reading lots of social media comments saying there’s no flour to be had, and lots of people wanting sourdough starter. Hopefully some will source flour and keep baking after this is just another event we all survived. Hopefully some will use social distancing time to plant a vege garden… there apparently has been a run on plants and seeds too. For us, our home-centric life goes on much as usual. For the coming months we cancelled a few things, had a few things cancelled. We keep supplies on hand anyway in case of floods etc, town shop every fortnight or so, and fortunately the cycle was in our favour, we had done our normal shop before it all went crazy. Our vege garden has enough green leafy things and I just did our autumn planting. We have local growers who supply veges, a supportive community who also though working through post-bushfires offers support, and we are looking after each other… apart but together. Take care and be well.
Not much is different here right now. We generally don’t get out a lot, and its just the two of us, two dogs now, and the chickens. Tukker the deer has made friends with a yearling buck so he’s doing well. Punkin the squirrel was by this morning in the rain for a few pecans. Spring has arrived and everything is in bloom. Egg production is up and we are able to help lots of folks with eggs – which are sold out at the stores. I normally have great stores of food and dry goods here since we entertain so much all year long. At the moment we are not taking any any guests until things lighten up with the virus. It’s good to hear all is well on the farmy.
I worked the kind of hours you are keeping once. It was the year Christmas came and went and I Had no knowledge of it. I got so tired I thought my heart would stop. I don’t understand this hoarding thing. I’m always prepared for emergencies. This one is just a bit bigger. Somehow we always manage to get through. I hope it ends soon and well.
We are doing okay here in Texas. Bill started working from home this week which I’m glad about. He is in the high risk category. The pantry and freezer are full. I made a huge batch of veggie chili and froze most of it. We are eating well and staying busy. I found a local group on Facebook that is making face masks for the hospitals and cut some fabric for that today. The creator of the group has convinced the local University of Texas research scientists to contribute a micron filter material to tuck into the pockets on the masks. The masks will be washable. It feels good to contribute and helps alleviate some of the helplessness. Our schools are closed. The roads are empty of traffic. The grocery stores are only allowing 20 people in at a time. We will order curbside pickup when we need perishables. I’m glad the farm is moving right along. Food independence sounds pretty good right now. Stay safe!
There is no bread and no flour in the grocery stores around here. I ordered from you. I must have bread.
I’m so glad to hear of a business thriving in this mess. The company I work for lost 90 percent of it’s business in one week. We’ve laid off more than half the staff. Its terrifying but I find that the absolute necessity of moving forward in a crisis is sort of comforting. But don’t wear yourself into a puddle celi.
Hello, dear friends! This calamity has calmed things down here in the mountains for sure. Yosemite is closed, as are the gambling casinos, bars, etc. My hubby had a heart attack at the beginning of all this, and now that he is home, we are NOT going anywhere, except to the doc’s. Thank goodness my daughter from L.A. is here to help. He weighs 200+ lbs, and is 5’10”. I’m 121 and 5’3″. A problem, but manageable. Miss C, you are in an ideal workplace. No direct contact with John Q. Public, but you can still help the population. This will help you to stay safe and healthy. My admiration for you and your work is beyond words! Thank you for all you’re doing, but as the others have said here, DO take care of yourself! Many cyber hugs!.
I’m glad you’re well so far, but if you carry on working so hard that won’t last. There must be bread, yes, but people can eat other things, and if you went down, someone else would have to fill those orders. Can you ask for more help? Is anyone available at all? You are a real trooper, getting good food to people who need it.
We are very fortunate; I’m at home alone, and my husband spends 12 hours a day alone in the cab of his truck; neither of us is very vulnerable to transmission. But I have family in the UK and France, and I’m worried sick about them. There are many grocery shortages in the shops here due to panic buying, but I like to regard it as a challenge in the kitchen. Stay well, Miss C, you and all yours.
The panic buying here is ridiculous, it makes me despair, if everybody just did their normal shop all would be well.
All the schools, restaurants, pubs ect have closed from last Friday.
I had to do Jury service in London for two weeks, so I have had to go on the tubes and buses, so not feeling happy about that, but so many people still have to,to get to their jobs, but most of my family are working from home now, so at least that is something, no more commuting for them thank goodness. Keep well and take care of yourself.
Cecilia, Thank you for providing healthy food and ingredients to the world! These are crazy times but hopefully we come out a little stronger and wiser at the end. I have been working from home for a week now and finding it to be somewhat isolating even though I talk to co-workers, friends and family daily. One year ago, I found myself alone after living with the same person for over 30 years. I’m realizing it’s more important now than ever to make connections with the people around me. That said…I live in Pontiac, just down the road from you. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you! I’m only 20 minutes away. I would love to help however I can. ❤
So good to hear from you Celi! And to hear all is well on the farmy. We too are well with both chicken and duck egg production increasing. And we have a duck sitting a nest, so will soon have ducklings. They are always a joy! Sending you and all the farmy family virtual hugs and love.
There has been no flour here for two weeks, but I did manage to to find some strong wholemeal and plain flour today. Miraculously all the supermarkets had food this morning. Once the supermarkets stablise people will stop panicking.
Most of the farmers came to the market this morning and the St. John has been staying open just to sell takeaway bread and wine.
I don’t think you’ll have any trouble selling eggs locally if the chicken start laying.
Love to all of you – especially the pigs!
I was going to buy some more flour and that wonderful corn meal from you- I was afraid you would be busy! I am not stocking up and I wouldn’t even need a rush on it . Get your rest- that helps to keep up your immune system. People that grow their own food will be admired now!